Authors

Discussion

The process of internationalization of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions faces numerous barriers related to the post-Soviet legacy that still affects the processes of education governance and often causes institutional inertia, bureaucracy and an over-emphasis on formal parameters.

The ongoing war has additionally complicated the academic transition and raised new obstacles to internationalization, forcing many HEIs to switch to online learning or suspend their activities. In the study, we also draw attention to the extent to which this situation has affected the opportunities for integration into the international academic community.

Methods. In order to identify barriers and challenges for internationalization, an anonymous survey of Ukrainian educators and scientists was conducted that helps to find out about their experience before and during the war. The main questions are aimed at identifying problems in professional activities, including the effectiveness of the  reforms, opportunities for international cooperation, access to educational resources, and problems with scientific publications.

  Research objectives: 1) what are the structural and cultural factors that hinder internationalization efforts in Ukrainian higher education institutions; 2) how the ongoing war has further complicated education reform.

The preliminary results of survey covered that general problems include the consequences of the post-Soviet style of management, which resulted in excessive emphasis on formal parameters such as requirements for the number of publications and participation in events for the sake of ‘ticking the box’. Another problem inherited from the Soviet era is a gap between research and teaching, existed in the most universities, that is preventing effective integration.

It has been identified that the above factors complicate the transition to European academic community. The hierarchical structures and bureaucratic organization of universities often slow down changes and make cooperation with international partners less effective. Moreover, limited opportunities to participate in international projects such as Erasmus and Horizon, as well as educators and scientists’ insufficient English language skills, make it difficult to integrate into the global academic community. The ongoing war has further complicated academic transition. As of late 2022, four higher education institutions (HEIs) have been destroyed, and nearly 50 others have sustained significant damage.